Actions Are Better Than Words
by imbadnews
Summary: Jess makes his confession to Rory and drives away, but he doesn't seem to get too far.


1**_Disclaimer: _**I've had dreams that I owned Milo but unfortunately, I don't. I have nothing to do with Gilmore Girls so you can't sue me.

_/I tried to think of a more original ending for the episode "Nag Hammadi is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels."_ _This is my take; even if it's been written like this before._/

He was out of breath as he stood there, inhaling and exhaling, wondering when she learned to run so fast. Her big blue eyes stared back at him, waiting for some argument or explanation to come from his lips. What could he possibly have to say to her right then and there? After one full year of no social contact, why now? Why did he have to come back _now_?

He was ready. He had been waiting exactly one year to tell her how he felt. This was his chance, his opportunity to clear his conscience.

"I love you."

Suddenly, she felt a wind of guilt smack her in the gut. She was at a loss for words, perhaps because those were the last three words she expected to hear from him. Ever.

He slowly backed away, but not before searching her face for any emotions that could tell him how she really felt. None.

He walked back to his car, started the ignition and drove straight past Rory, who was still standing in the middle of the street, staring at her leather gloves.

"Woah." She looked down at the ground and then back over to the right where Jess's car drove past not 5 seconds earlier. "Wh-What am I doing?"

Without hesitiating, Rory ran down that same path as fast as she could but once she turned the corner, there was a car parked right in the middle of her running path.

She stopped short and stared at Jess, who was leaning back on the hood of the car. Neither of them knew what to say. Saying something could have started another battle between them, and that wasn't what either of them wanted.

Rory was confused. This was Jess. The guy who left her without any warning, no notes, one call where she did all of the talking, but that was it. Why did she chase him? Why did she care whether he loved her or not?

They stared at each other but no words were exchanged, just glances and facial expressions that were easy to read. They knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Rory opened her mouth as she was about to say something but then stopped herself. "I-" She started to say but couldn't form the right words.

Jess nodded at her. "I know." He stood up and slowly walked towards Rory who still wore a confused look on her face. "Rory... I'd have to be an idiot to run away from this freakhole of a medical experiment again. I didn't just come for my car."

Rory crossed her arms and looked down at her feet, then back up at Jess. "Then don't."She sighed and let her arms fall to her waist. "Look Jess, words don't mean as much as actions. I'm a Yale girl now, I'm wiser and I know what to expect from you. You say you don't want to run away and yet you still do, and without even leaving a note or calling me. Real classy of you by the way."

She felt her patience growing short. He could sense it.

"I know. But can't we just start over?"

"What do you mean 'start over'?"

"Let's just get out of here, go to New York, start over and just be together. I know that's what you want and I know that's what I want. We can't be together here with all of these people watching and bad memories resurfacing our minds. We need to start from a clean slate. You want this, Rory, I know you." Jess exhaled again. He has never said so much without stopping to breathe before.

Rory knew he was crazy, she looked at him like he was crazy and that made him feel some self- doubt.

She shook her head. "Are you insane?"

"Maybe, but Rory, I know you want to be with me. I came all the way back to Stars Hollow because after a year I am still hung up on you. That has got to mean something. I- I just want to be with you."

They stood there in silence. Rory didn't know what to say. She couldn't think. He wasn't going to let her get away, she could tell. And she didn't want to let him get away.

She let out a deep breath. "We can't do this here. I can't think. I need coffee. Damnit, I need coffee!." There was another moment of silence. Rory needed her coffee to think, Jess should have remembered this. Coffee kept her sane.

After she allowed herself to think, Rory broke the silence. "Do you think that we could just stop by Luke's and get coffee? I can't talk about this without consuming large amounts of coffee. And you know we're still standing in the middle of the street and I doubt the next car that is about to pass by will appreciate this."

Jess smiled slightly and slowly nodded his head. "Okay."

"Okay?" Rory asked again to confirm.

"Yeah, that's fine. Let's go to Luke's." Jess nodded, he knew this way she would be more calm and easier to talk to.

"Great."

"After you..."

Rory nodded and started walking towards Luke's as Jess followed her, walking with his hands behind his back.

Just like old times, they were walking to Luke's together to get coffee. But neither of them knew what was ahead of them. Times used to be so much more predictable but now they were much more complicated.


End file.
